Meter calibrating apparatus



een 2Q, 19%. A. PETER METER CALIBRATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. afi, v1929;

, AIY//II//lllzzylll/Jl a w M 0 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNiTEnSTATl-:s liuifrslvr oi-FICE N enorm PETE-E, 0E ZUG, SWITZERLAND, AssIGNoE. Toy LANDIs aY GYR, Ass., A JoINT- p v sTocK coMrnNY or SWITZERLAND METER CALIBRATINGy APrAnATUs Appiieatin sied august 24, 1929, serial No.

The present invention relates to improvements in meter Calibrating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for quickly and positively completing the necessary connections with the meters to be tested.

Objects and advantages of tlie'invention Will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized andattained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

constructions, arrangements, combinations;

and improvements herein shown and described. y

The accompanying drawings,referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment ofthe invention, and together with the description, serve tol explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings z` Y Y Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of one embodiment of thel present invention; i

Fig. 2 is a section taken'on the line 2--2 ofFig.1;` 1 1 f y f Y Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.` 1;

Fig. eis a detailed cross section taken on the line 1--11- of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation of a modified form of latching means.

The presentl invention provides anapparatus for quickly and positively completing the f terminal connections of a plurality of electricity meters to be calibrated, `at the same time insuring that the meters are accurately positioned inthe desired relation, and is particularly useful in the simultaneous calibration of a large number of induction Watthour meters, although it can be used with equal success in connection with other meters.

In the present'preferred embodiment thereV is provided a support for a'plurality of meters of the type described with means for -accurately positioning the meters onthe *support. Means are alsoprovided for making all the necessary connections with the terminal boxes of the meters to be calibrated `and preferably for automatically effecting the fthesupportingl bar 11, thereby allowing the 388,185, and inswuzerlana August' 2s, 192s.

connections as the positioning means of the t" meter are brought into operation. The connecting means preferably provide a resilient contact with the meter terminals and means may be provided for holding the contacts in circuit `closing position during the calibration of the meters. 1

The remaining objects and features will be set out later in Vconnection with the detailed description, and it Willbeunderstood that the. foregoing and also the following descrip- Y tion is explanatory'and exemplary and is not restrictive of the invention.. l: Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated-bythe accompanying drawings, there is provided a.l support for the meters to be calibrated, which preferably comprises a pair of parallelly extending-flat bars 10 and 11, suitably spaced from each other and provided Vwith meter attaching means, such as studs 12,

to engage the lugs. generally provided on the lrear `of Vthe metercasings 14.. The present embodiment of theinvention as shown, is'designed for' use in connection Withelectricity "meters, such as rWatt-hourA meters, provided withtheusual terminal boxes 15,containing.

the terminalslof the meter coils. 4As shown, each terminal boxf is provided with insulating lmaterial in which are embedded terminal 16, connected with the voltage coil 17 of vthe meter, terminal 18 connected with the current coil 19 of the meter, and Vterminals 20, 21 connected with both the voltage and the current coils. i

Means are preferably provided for Vaccurately spacing the meters and their terminal boxes from each other, and as embodied, spacers 22 formed of insulatingmaterial such as wood, fibre or hard rubber, and of a size to substantially fill the space between adjacent terminal boxes 15 are mounted on the 1 lower supportingbar 11 by means of rods 24, passing through corresponding` apertures in spacers 22 to-be moved to and from supporting bar 11.

4their turning .on rods 24, spacers 22 are connected together by an overlying-strip 25 v'ofi .I `For holding rthe spacers and',preventing relatively thin flexible insulating material such as celluloid or fibre, suitably secured to the spacers 22 as by screws 26.

For making the necessary connections with the terminals 16, 1S, and 2O of the meters, and, in the case of Watt-hour meters, for connecting the voltage coils of all the f'meters in parallel and the current coils in series, there are preferably provided a plurality of connectors, in the term of narron1 "strips oi electrically conducting material supported on the cuter tace of insulating strip 25 and provided With suitably arranged contact meinbers to Contact with the terminals ot Vthe meter coils. In the present embodiment, there are provideda plurality orn strips 27 of resilient, electrically conducting material, such as brass or bronze, extending along the upper edge of insulating strip 25 and provided with inwardly extending Contact members 2S suitably positioned with respect to spacers 22, to contact With terminals 21 of the several meters to be calibrated. Directly belovv connectors 27, are connectors 29, similarly mounted on strip 25 and provided With ccntact members'BO to contact With terminals 16. Another series ot connectors areprovided and comprise conducting strips 32, similarly mounted, and provided with inwardly extending contact members 33 and 34 for contact ing` with terminals 18 and 20, respectively.

Preferably, and as shown, the contact members for engaging the terminals are resiliently mounted and, as embodied, the strips 27 and 29 are formed as a plurality of alined strips, one end ot'each lstrip beingV bent inwardly `to form contact members 28 and 3 respectively, the other'ends of the strips being straight, roverlapping the next alined strip and serve asa spring rto inwardlypress the contact members. Strips 28 and 30 are preierably secured medianly'of each section to insulating strip -25 by rivets 36.

The series connecting strips 88 are provided With inwardly extending contact members flormed by the inwardly bent ends V33 and 34 of the strips 53S, the lstrips 38 being resiliently secured to 'strip 25 by lrivets Contact members 33 and 34 contact with terminals 18 and 2O respectively and connect terminal '18 of one meter in'series with terminal 2O of the meter next in line.

lllhile the spacing members 22 and strip are in the position shown in Figure 3, the meters can be easily put in place or removed. lVhen the meters have been put in place, spacers 22 are moved towards Vthe supporting bar 11, andinay be held or latched in this position by means of llatch bar 40, pivoted at 41 and cooperating With-a notch42 formed in slidable rod 24. For automatically latching the spacers against supporting bar the spar of handle 44. Means are provided for preventing spacers 22 from being moved too tar from bar 11, and for this purpose, a pin 45 may be provided, rictionally secured in a hole at the rear of rods 24.

lllhen other types of meters are to be calibrated, pins 45 are removed, and all the spacers, connectors, and contact members can be removed as a unit, and replaced by others corresponding to the meters to be calibrated.

The Vinvention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom Within the scope of the accompanying claims Without departing from the principles of the invention and Without sacrincing its chief advantages.

lllhat l claim is 1. Apparatus for use in the calibration oi? meters including in combination a support :tor a plurality oi meters to be calibrated, meter spacing means movable to and 'from the support for positioning 'the terminals or the meters, resilient connectors carried by fr means, and locking means, whereby the meters can be connected and accurately pcsitioned by a single movement of the spacing means.

2. Apparatus `for use in the calibration of meters including in combination a support for a plurality of induction meters having current and voltage c ils, means for connecting the current coils in series, means lor con ecting the voltage coils in parallel, means for positioning' the meters and means 'for ellecting the meter connections by movememJ of the spacing means.

3. lvl-eter Calibrating apparatus including in combination a support `for `a plurality ol metersymeans for securing a plurality of meters in calibration position on the support, a plurality ol resilient connectors to contact with the terminals ot 'the meters, and

means for simultaneously operating the meter securing and connecting means.

4. Meter calil rating apparatus including in combination a support for a plurality ot induction meters, means 'for securing the meters in predetermined position on said su ipoit, a plurality of connectors 'for conne the voltage coils in parallel and the current coils in series, and means for simultaneously operating the meter securing and connecting means.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

` ADOLF PETER. 

